


Support Group for Evil Queens

by Madalena



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 08:51:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3284315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madalena/pseuds/Madalena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Regina saves Zelena from being killed by Rumplestiltskin, she knows that the task of rehabilitating her is going to be easier said than done - especially since she is still not convinced that she's not still an Evil Queen herself.</p>
<p>Then a chance meeting with Cinderella gives her an idea, and as time goes on, Regina and Zelena are not the only Evil Queens who need someone to listen.</p>
<p>AU from end of Season 3B - Zelena lives, time portal never opens, Marian and Elsa's urn stay in the past where they belong. No Frozen storyline, goes straight from 3B to 4B (AU and speculative, I'm sure). OutlawQueen, but focus is on the queens, not the Regina/Robin relationship. Rating has changed for chapter 10, other chapters are still a Teen rating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. We Protect Her

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing fic in a long long time! And first time writing OUAT. But this story needed to be told!

Something was wrong.

Regina could feel it. She had just emerged into the cemetery from her vault, having placed her sister’s pendant there for safekeeping. But somehow she could feel that pendant, feel it telling her something.

Her sister was in danger.

Somehow, Regina knew that it was because of the dagger. She never should have given it to foolish and naive Belle. She may have loved Rumple, but she was also oblivious to his darkness. And now, because of that, Zelena was in danger.

Regina sighed and closed her eyes. Then she waved her hands and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

* * *

She materialized in the sheriff’s station to a scene of chaos. Such chaos that her usually flashy swirling puff of smoke had gone completely unnoticed.

Zelena was standing up against the back of her cell, eyes wide in terror. Meanwhile, Belle was there, holding - two? - daggers belonging to the Dark One, while Rumple was on the ground in front of her, begging.

In another corner, David, Snow, Emma and Hook were yelling at each other, oblivious to everyone around them, including Tink, who was just standing there wide-eyed, clutching baby Neal. The rest of the room was full of Storybrooke townsfolk, including all seven dwarves, Phillip and a very pregnant Aurora, and Robin’s Merry Men, all looking like they were waiting for Belle and Rumple to vacate the entrance to Zelena’s cell, so that they could all take their swings at her.

To his credit, Robin was not one of them, and was instead trying to reason with his Merry Men, trying to get them and the others to stand down and leave Zelena alone. That she deserved a second chance.

Regina smiled when she heard Robin defending her sister so vigorously. She knew he wanted to see the good in someone, and that she would at least have one ally in rehabilitating Zelena.

“Gina!” a small voice called out. Apparently her entrance hadn’t gone completely unnoticed.

She saw Roland, still clinging to the flying monkey toy she’d given him in the Enchanted Forest, hiding behind the sheriff’s desk. He looked frightened.

Regina knelt down in front of him. “Hey Roland. What are you doing here?”

“I came with Papa. He needed to stop the Merry Men from doing something bad to that lady.”

“Your Papa is a good man.”

“But people say she is a bad lady. That she sent the man who tried to hurt me unless Papa gave her something. That she tried to hurt you.”

“She has done bad things. But that doesn’t mean she can’t say she’s sorry and do good things now. If she has a chance to, I am sure she would say sorry for what happened to you.”

“So you agree with Papa.”

“I do.”

“Who is the lady?”

“She… is my sister.”

“Then why did she want to hurt you?”

“She wanted something that she didn’t have.”

“Something you had? Something Papa had?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“But she didn’t get it?”

“Not the way she wanted to. But I hope that as she learns to do good things, she will get what she wanted.”

“What did she want?”

“A family.”

“Aren’t you her family?”

Regina smiled sadly. “I am. But I never knew her. Our Mama gave her away to a different family in a different realm.”

“Why?”

“She wasn’t ready to be a Mama yet.”

“But then she had you.”

“Yes. She was ready to be a Mama then.” No point in trying to explain Cora to a four-year old.

“Where is your Mama?”

“Same place yours is, sweetie. Not with us anymore.”

“What about your Papa?”

“He is gone too. But she had a different Papa who never even met her. And her family in the other realm died too.”

“So you are the only family she has.”

“I guess you could say that.”

“You need to help her have that family.”

“I will, Roland.”

“Papa and I can help.”

“I hope you can.”

Roland gave Regina a big hug, and then pulled her towards the chaotic scene. Once he’d pulled her into the middle of the scene, next to Robin, suddenly the chaos quieted down as they all looked at her and the small boy.

“So, what’s it going to be, sister?” Grumpy asked. “You’re the one who stopped her.”

“I am. And I already made my decision then. She lives.”

“Regina, please reconsider.” Rumple begged from his position on the floor. “You know what she’s done.”

“And I like I already told you, how many lives have we taken? No. This stops now.”

“She’s right.” Belle said, coming to stand next to the Queen, holding both daggers. “I thought you had changed, Rumple. I thought you wanted to do right by your son.”

“Doing right would be executing the woman responsible for his death!”

“No, it isn’t.” Belle said gently. “I was there when Neal resurrected you. Zelena may have told us how, but he did it knowing there would be a price. He was willing to pay it. Honour his sacrifice and live. Not in vengeance, not in anger. That’s not living, that’s existing. He would want you to live.”

“That’s great, sister, but what about the rest of us? Whose brothers were flying monkeys?” Grumpy grumbled.

“A revenge mob solves nothing. Haven’t you people learned that by now?” Regina sneered. “You all tried to come after me when the first curse broke.”

“Wasn’t without reason.”

“You were angry about all the pain I caused. I get it. But someone protected me. And because they did, I was able to grow and become a better person. I saved the town when Greg and Tamara activated the self-destruct. I saved us from Pan’s curse. And I stopped Zelena. None of that would have happened had I not been given a second chance.”

“None of that would have happened if you hadn’t been evil in the first place.”

“Evil isn’t born, it’s made.” Regina started at Robin’s voice. He continued: “And it can also be unmade. Regina is proof of that.”

“So you protect her then? The Wicked Witch?” one of the other dwarves called out.

“I do.” Regina said firmly, taking Robin’s hand with her free one, other hand still holding Roland’s. Roland reached out his other hand to Belle, who looked surprised but took it.

“We all do.” Roland said. “She wanted a family. We’ll give her one.”

No one looked more shocked than Zelena did.


	2. Learn to be Happy

After Roland’s announcement, the scene calmed down and people drifted away. Maybe it was being told by a four-year old, or maybe people were starting to genuinely get sick of vengeance. Regina wasn’t sure.

Once almost everyone had left, Regina turned to Belle. “What’s with the two daggers?”

“Rumple tried to replace it with a fake.” Belle said with sorrow. “He thought I wouldn’t notice. But I did.”

“You knew he’d come here.”

“Of course I knew. It was a test. He failed it.”

“What are you going to do now?”

Belle sighed. “I don’t know. But for now, I think it would be best to leave Rumple in the cell here.”

“In the cell next to Zelena’s? You think that will end well?”

“No, he should be here alone. She should go home with her family.”

“But that’s me.”

“Yes.” Belle looked at her with kindness, which was new for Regina, since the last time the two women had had a conversation Belle had resoundingly put her in her place.

“Why are you doing this?” Regina asked.

“Because I was blind. I was naive. I know all of the things that Rumple has done. I know all of the things you have done. I know all of the things that you did that you thought were your ideas but were actually Rumple’s. You’re not the villain in this, Regina. You never have been. You were just Rumple’s instrument. I was wrong to lay the blame solely on you.”

“Thanks… I guess.”

Belle gave a small smile and squeezed her shoulder, and left without another word.

Regina turned to Roland and Robin, who had been observing the exchange. Robin came up and kissed her on the forehead, wrapping his right arm around her shoulders.

“You heard what Belle said. Let’s take her home.” He whispered into her ear.

Zelena had not budged from her position against the wall of her cell. Her position did not soften as Regina, Robin and Roland walked up to the door.

“Come on.” Regina said. “Let’s go.”

“Home with you and your happy family?”

“You wanted a family. That’s why you created that portal. Come on.”

Zelena still looked unsure. Then Roland broke away from his father, went into the cell and took one of Zelena’s hands.

“Come on, Lena.” he said, tugging on it. “You and Gina were apart for a long time. You need to learn how to be sisters again.”

Zelena looked in shock at the little boy, but did remove herself from the wall and let him lead her over to where Regina and Robin were standing.

No one spared a glance back at Rumple as the family headed towards the door. The Charmings would have to deal with him. He wasn’t Regina’s problem to worry about.

As they neared the door of the sheriff’s station, Tink materialized out of a doorway and pulled Regina into a hug. Startled, she returned it gingerly.

“What was that for?”

“Oh you know why.” Tink said mischievously, glancing in Robin’s direction for a fraction of a second, that thankfully he missed. Regina hadn’t told him about their destiny yet.

“I agree with you, you know.” the fairy continued.

“On what?”

“That people can change. I’m happy for you Regina, truly. I’m glad you are learning to be happy. And Zelena -I think you’ll learn how to be happy too. In fact, I’m certain you will.”

Tink gave Zelena a quick hug as well, winked and then vanished back into the station.

“What was that all about?” Robin asked, at the exact same moment as Zelena asked “Who is she?”

“Oh, I’ll explain later. To both of you.” Regina said. “Right now, let’s just get everyone home.”

Regina led her family out of the sheriff’s station, where they were met by the Merry Men. Robin spoke a few quiet words to them, and they dispersed towards the woods. Regina, Robin, Roland and Zelena headed off to the mansion.

* * *

Once they were in her house, Regina quickly introduced Robin and Roland to the television, and set them up with a movie. Then she took Zelena upstairs to her spare room. Zelena had not spoken a word since inquiring as to who Tinkerbell was. She stood silently while Regina made the bed and then took a seat in a chair.

“You’re allowed to talk, you know.” Regina said.

“I don’t know what I should say. A few hours ago I tried to kill you all. Now I’m in your spare room.”

“I meant what I said, Zelena. You need to take that second chance.”

“Glinda already gave me one of those. Two even. And I blew them.”

“I did my first times too. That’s the funny thing about heroes and their second chances - they seem to have a limitless supply of them.”

“So you’re a hero now?”

“I may have been the hero today. But I wouldn’t call myself a hero.”

“What would you call yourself?”

“Someone who is working every day to not give into the darkness again.”

Zelena snorted. “You think they’ll just accept you into their clique of do-gooders. That they won’t ever doubt you?”

“I know they might doubt me. I doubt myself a lot of the time.”

“And you can live like that?”

“I often wonder why they help and accept me as much as they do.”

Zelena looked down. “I don’t think Snow could ever forgive me for taking her baby.”

“You separated them for a few hours. I cast a curse that separated Snow from her daughter for twenty-eight years. You might be surprised.”

“She is just maddeningly good and forgiving, and full of hope, isn’t she?”

“She is. It is one of the things I find most infuriating about her.”

Zelena had to chuckle at that. “Who was that woman? The one who hugged you?”

“That’s Tinkerbell. She’s a fairy.”

“You clearly have some history with her.”

“I do. Both good and bad. She tried to help me once. I threw it back in her face. It ended up costing her her wings. But then she still helped us, even when she had the chance to kill me, and she earned her wings back.”

“What does she know about me?”

“Probably the same thing she knew about me. That I didn’t have to give in to evil. That I could find love again.”

“I’ve never had love.”

“I think she thinks you can.”

“Do you? After what I put this town through?”

“I think it is possible. If I could find love, I’m sure you can too.”

“I thought villains don’t get happy endings.”

“Good thing we’re working on not being villains anymore.” Regina stood up. “I’m going back downstairs. Can I trust you to stay here?”

Zelena sat down on the bed and nodded, looking at her hands. Regina hoped that her words were getting through to her. She left, closing the door behind her, and returned to the boys downstairs.


	3. Destiny Be Damned

When Regina entered her living room, she saw that Roland had fallen asleep, curled up in a pile of blankets on the floor. Regina joined Robin on the couch and pulled him into a hug.

As he pulled away, he kissed Regina softly but deeply. She sighed happily and rested her forehead against his.

“How’s Zelena?”

“Terrified. Envious. Lost. Angry.”

“That doesn’t worry you?”

“No. Because not that long ago, I was a lot like her.”

“I understand. I’m proud of you, Regina.”

“For what?”

“For having the strength to stand up for her and be ready to give her her second chance. Usually it takes a lot longer.”

“What do you mean?”

“In case you didn’t know, I wasn’t always the noble thief.”

“Oh?”

“I was very different. What many would call a right bastard. I stole from everyone, and most often from those who had the most to lose. Because it was easy, and I got off on the power it gave me over them. Until someone believed in me, and believed that I could be better. And so I changed. But it was a long time before I trusted in myself enough to extend such help to others. But when I did, when I was ready, well, that’s where my Merry Men came from. We’re all retired rapscallions and villains of differing degrees.”

Regina raised an eyebrow. “Even Friar Tuck?”

“Especially Friar Tuck. But that’s his story to tell, not mine.”

“So you believe in me?”

“You know I do. And so does your boy. And so does my boy. You’re not alone, Regina. Not in fighting your own demons, and not in helping Zelena fight hers. I believe in you. I love you.”

Regina smiled tearfully and pulled Robin into a deep kiss. They just held each other for awhile, Robin’s hand over her heart, only recently returned to her chest. She closed her eyes and felt it beat, to remind them both that they were alive and that this moment was real.

Robin pulled Regina into a more comfortable reclining position, positioning himself behind her as she lay back on his chest. One of his hands stroked her through her hair, the other still over her heart. After some time, he spoke again.

“So, you want to tell me what Tinkerbell was on about?”

“I knew her. A long time ago.”

“Yet she is interested in specifically your happiness, right now.”

Regina turned herself so she was looking up at him. “Shortly after I became queen, before I gave in to the evil, I was lonely. Desperately so. The King and Snow were always away, and I didn’t have any love for them anyways. I fell off of my balcony when the guardrail gave out, and Tink saved me.” Regina looked away nervously, holding Robin’s hand, running her thumb over the tattoo. How was she going to explain this to him? Someone who believed so strongly in free will and being able to change and all that? How could she explain that magic had tied them together already years ago?

“That’s not all though, is it?” Robin lifted Regina’s chin up so his eyes met hers. “I know there’s something else. I know there’s something by the way you react to this.” Indicating his tattoo.

He’d noticed. He’d noticed her paying attention to it.

“That’s the other thing that Tink did. She said I could find love and happiness. She showed me my soul mate. Someone I was destined to be with. But I was too afraid to go after him. I never even saw his face. But I did see his tattoo.”

As she continued rubbing it, his eyes widened. “It was me? She led you to me?”

“Yes.”

She looked into his eyes, looking for a sign of fear, that he was about to run, that everything would be ruined because they hadn’t had a choice in the matter of their destiny. All she saw was steadiness. But he didn’t speak.

“Please, Robin, say something.”

“I…” he started, but seemed at a loss for words. “I’ve never considered myself a believer in the doings of fairies. Of course, I believe in magic, I’ve seen enough of it happen and all, but the more mystical sides of it… no. And if we look at it like that, I think it is a good thing you didn’t approach me then.”

“Why? We could have avoided all of the curses and the evil and the terror I put the kingdom through.”

“But we also wouldn’t have Henry. Or Roland. And if you had come to me that time, when Tinkerbell showed me to you, it would have been because destiny said so. You wouldn’t have been exercising your free will. But now… we had a connection even before you saw that tattoo. Before you knew who I was. And I didn’t even know until you told me just now. I love you, Regina. I know that to be true. I knew it before I knew of any sort of destiny, and I know it after. We chose our love. Destiny be damned.”

Regina clung on to Robin and smiled peacefully. He kissed the top of her head and continued stroking her hair. And she began nodding off there on his chest, her lips lightly grazing the lion tattoo.


	4. Breakfast with Auntie Lena

Regina awoke to a crick in her neck, an elbow in her side and light streaming across her face. She had fallen asleep - and evidently stayed there - on her couch. With Robin.

She tried to sit up without disturbing him, but as she started to move away he opened his eyes and grinned. “Morning.”

Regina bit her lip. “Morning.”

“Seems we were a bit tired last night, yeah?”

“It was a busy day.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“I did. Most relaxed I’ve felt in months.”

Robin smiled and put a kiss on her forehead, wrapping his arms around her and not letting her move. Regina squirmed.

“Roland. Zelena.”

“Neither of whom are right here at the moment.” Robin said. “Just for a moment.”

Regina snuggled into him, albeit briefly, before giving him a kiss and extricating herself from his grasp and stood up. The bundle of blankets was empty, as Robin must have noticed, which meant… where was Roland?

She heard sounds coming from the kitchen, and walked in to find a sight she had not expected to see in… well, months at least, possibly not ever, but here it was, now.

Zelena was _cooking_. In Regina’s kitchen. Regina wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Roland was standing on a chair next to her, helping her mix something.

“Morning, sis.” Regina said, leaning against the doorway.

Zelena started and turned around. Her smile wavered a bit and became nervous instead. “Good morning. I hope you don’t mind - Roland was up already and hungry, and you two were so soundly asleep we didn’t want to wake you.”

“What are you making?”

“Apple pancakes!” Roland yelled, jumping down from the chair and running over to give Regina a big hug. “Auntie Lena likes making them just like you do!”

“Been a bit of a pain without magic, but I think we managed to find everything, didn’t we Roland?”

“Yes!”

Robin came up behind Regina and wrapped one arm around her, the other ruffling his son’s hair. “I heard there’s breakfast?”

“Zelena and Roland have been… busy, while we were still sleeping.”

“Well then, let’s dig in.”

“We can’t just eat batter Papa!” Roland exclaimed. “Maybe you show Auntie Lena how you make the shapes with it at our camp?”

“If Auntie Lena doesn’t mind.”

“Not at all. Batter’s ready.”

“I’ll get some coffee going.” Regina said, heading over to the coffee machine while Robin took the bowl of batter over to the stove and pulled out a frying pan. As she passed Robin, she swiped a finger through the batter.

“Hey!” Roland said. “Auntie Lena didn’t let me do that!”

“But I am a grown-up.” Regina said, pointing the batter-y finger at him.

“I’m still your big sister, Regina, do behave.” Zelena winked.

Regina stuck her tongue out at her, and then sucked the batter from her finger. Those few seconds of playful distraction for Roland’s benefit had been all the time she needed to reach out with her magic and make sure that the batter was free from poisons or anything else that would do them ill. She wanted to trust Zelena, but when it came to Roland’s safety, she would take extra precautions. Suddenly she didn’t blame Emma for doing the same with her and Henry.

“Roland, why don’t you help Zelena set the table?” Robin asked. “Do you remember where the napkins and forks are?”

“Yes, Papa.”

“And be prepared to eat a dragon when you’re done! I’ve got one right here in the pan. Rarrr!” Robin made a dragon face and claws in Roland’s direction, which sent him screeching and giggling into the next room with Zelena in tow.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Robin turned to Regina, worry in his eyes. He started to open his mouth, but Regina put her finger to his lips. “It’s okay.” she whispered.

He tried to speak again, still looking worried, but Regina held up the finger she’d had covered in batter and gave him a firm look. He nodded hesitantly.

“I wouldn’t put Roland in danger.” Regina said, resting her forehead against Robin’s.

“I know.”

“Now pay attention to the pancakes. Once you’re done Roland’s dragon, you can recreate my castle for me.” She gave him a peck on the cheek and then headed to the dining room with mugs for the coffee.

When she entered, Roland was carefully placing napkins at every place setting, while Zelena was setting out the cutlery from the hutch.

“Gina, where are the plates?”

“We just use the ones that are in the kitchen. Your Papa will put the pancakes on them there. Go give him a hand.”

As he scampered back into the kitchen, Zelena turned to Regina with worry. “I didn’t poison it if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I know. Because you know I would destroy you if any harm ever came to that boy.”

“I just wanted to do something nice.”

“It’s appreciated. But your first lesson to learn is that not everyone is easily forgiving. People will still hold you in suspicion for a long time.”

“Did it take long for you?”

“Most of them out there still suspect me. You know how quick they were to assume that I’d cast the curse to bring us back to Storybrooke.”

“Well, you kind of did.”

“I assembled the ingredients and told Snow what to do. It wasn’t my idea. Not to mention the forgetting potion was your addition, not mine.”

“Details. So if they don’t fully trust you, what’s the point in me even trying with them?”

“Because making amends is the right thing to do. You can make the overtures, but you can’t control if they accept them.”

“The right thing to do? You’re talking like one of them now.”

“I’m not one of them. I don’t think I ever will be. Because not one of them knows what it is to struggle with the darkness. And what’s more, having them still demand it of you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been using dark magic my entire life. You have too, thanks to Rumple. I’ve done a few tricks with light magic - breaking the curse with True Love’s Kiss, and then whatever that was that stopped you - but that’s it. And yet, the Charmings will still always call upon me whenever they need magic. They don’t care if it is light or dark. But my heart does. It can feel it.”

“So the heroes don’t want you to be good either then. They want you to be evil.”

“They want it both ways. They want my magic and they want me to be good. They don’t understand that they can’t always have it both ways.”

“What are you saying then?”

“I need to start saying no to them until I learn to control and harness my light magic.” Regina looked surprised. It was a revelation for her, but an important one.

“Not a bad idea.” Robin said, entering the room, hands full of plates with shaped pancakes on them. “Now, let’s eat.”

Robin handed the plates around - a dragon for Roland, Regina’s castle for her, a quiver of arrows and a bow for Robin himself, and what looked like a flying monkey for Zelena. She looked up at him with confusion.

Robin shrugged apologetically. “I don’t know you very well, it’s all I had.”

Zelena shrugged. “It’s fair. I’ve been focused on vengeance and revenge for so long, I don’t know what else there is.”

“Well, according to Tinkerbell, you’ve got love out there.” Robin said smoothly. “But maybe work your way up to that, yeah?”

She nodded stiffly. “I’m not even sure how to love.”

Regina put her hand on Zelena’s. “I didn’t either. It took a long time for me to love again. And now I have Henry, I have Robin, I have Roland. It takes time. If anyone says it will happen overnight, they’re lying. So you may not want to chat Tink up just yet for advice on your soulmate. But when you’re ready you can. You will learn to love again, but it is not as easy as all that. I still struggle with it. I still wonder how anyone can love me.”

“So it’s not just me that wonders that?” Zelena asked.

“No. I may be further along the path of redemption than you are, but make no mistake, I’m still on it. We’ll help each other.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime. Now, let’s eat.”


	5. A Touch of Inspiration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally we meet Cinderella :)

After breakfast, Regina left Zelena at home with Robin and Roland, heading into town to get some shopping done.

As she perused the aisles in search of food to serve a family of four or five now - something she was still getting used to, since she was used to cooking only for herself, or herself and Henry - her mind wandered to how she could help Zelena move on with her second chance. Love was still out of the question, but she needed clear milestones to feel like she was moving down the road of redemption. She knew she would have to be persistent, as persistent as Snow had been with her.

Oh god. She was turning into Snow White. Oh _hell_ no.

As Regina stood there in the middle of the aisle, shocked by the fact that somehow she was going to have to muster up Snow’s hope speeches (though please not as obnoxious, she didn’t want to be her mother, but she wanted to be Snow even less), someone bumped into her from behind, knocking her out of her reverie.

“Oof! Sorry!” Ashley said, maneuvering her baby onto her other hip. “Alex here distracted me.”

“It’s okay, I was zoned out.” Regina said.

Ashley looked nervously at the former Queen. While Regina hadn’t done anything to her personally, she had trapped her in Storybrooke, pregnant for twenty-eight years… maybe some apologies for that were in order.

“I’m sorry Ashley.” Regina said.

“For what? I’m the one who ran into you.”

“For keeping you pregnant for twenty-eight years.”

“Oh, that.” Ashley waved her hand. “It’s all water under the bridge now. Isn’t it, Alex?”

The baby giggled.

“So, are you having a baby?” Ashley asked, indicating their surroundings.

Regina just noticed she was in the baby products aisle.

“What? No… sorry, I’ve been spacing out. Just trying to figure out how to handle my sister. And me.”

“Must be tough, her trying to kill you and then having her in your spare room that same night?”

“She deserves a second chance.”

“I agree.”

Regina looked up in shock. “You do?”

“Of course. People make mistakes. But they’re usually not irreversible.”

Regina looked away. “Sometimes they are.”

Ashley grabbed her arm gently. “Okay, sorry, that may be true, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make amends for them. You’ve saved the town, what, three times now?”

“Doesn’t feel like it balances all the bad things I’ve done. And to be fair, two of the times I saved the town was because I’d screwed things up in the first place.”

“Hey, but you still saved us. I heard you were even willing to die to do it one of those times.”

“I did. Maybe I should have.”

“Don’t talk like that, Regina.”

“Why not? Sometimes it just all feels like too much. And now I have Zelena to help, and I don’t even know how I’m going to do that when I find myself beyond help, and…” Regina didn’t know why she was opening up to this virtual stranger, in the middle of the grocery store no less, but somehow she found talking to someone she didn’t really know to be refreshing.

“You don’t need to do it alone, Regina. Like you said. There’s you and Zelena now. And I’m sure you can find other people for your support group too. You can’t be the only former villains in town.”

“Support group?”

“Oh yeah, it’s a great idea. Later this week I’m meeting with Snow and Aurora and some of the other new moms, we’ll be singing songs with our babies and all, but the main goal is to get them out of the house and with other people again. A support group for new moms.”

“So you’re saying I should run a support group for former villains?”

Ashley smiled. “Couldn’t hurt, could it?”

Regina smiled back. “I guess not.”

“Good luck. Really.” Ashley squeezed her arm. “Alex and I have to go. But let me know how you’re doing with the group, yeah?”

“I will.”

Ashley headed off, leaving Regina still standing in the baby aisle, contemplating who else could be recruited for her support group. Rumple? No. He was unrepentant and putting him in the same room as Zelena would be dangerous. Maleficent? If she could be persuaded and turned back into her human form, maybe, but she might still be unrepentant, not to mention she had it out for Regina the same way Rumple had it out for Zelena. But perhaps…

Regina was willing to try. If she could change, surely Maleficent could as well, given the opportunity. And she would think of other villains - possibly retired, if not reformed, she wasn’t completely certain as to their temperaments - in town.

As she walked home from her shopping, she thought about what Robin had said the previous night about the Merry Men - that all of them had been ne’er do wells of some kind. Perhaps a chat with them was in order? She didn’t know how friendly they would be, but seeing as they followed Robin intensely, and he liked her, she figured it was worth a shot. But maybe Robin should make the first introductions.

It was an idea, at least. Regina was grateful for something to do, and even happier that it was something that was _hers_ , and did not have to involve listening to the Charmings’ infuriating hope speeches.


	6. Beyond One Dimension

She got home to find the trio in the living room, watching a movie. Robin turned around to wave. “I just put a movie on. Hope you don’t mind.”

Regina took a look at the screen and her heart sank. The opening credits were just starting, but she would recognize that movie anywhere.

_Oh hell,_ she thought. _He didn’t._ Regina snatched up the remote and turned off the TV.

“Oy! What did you do that for?” Robin asked.

“Robin, I don’t think Zelena is ready to meet her fictional self yet.”

“What do you mean, her fictional self?”

“Yes, what do you mean?” Zelena asked, confused.

“Robin, I’ve been over this before, haven’t I?” Regina said, looking at him. He still looked confused. Maybe she hadn’t? And really, no one else in town had told them this?

“Okay. Well, I guess this is going to be an interesting story to tell.” And a long one. So Regina sat down as well.

“I’m still not sure what you’re on about, love.” Robin said, reaching for her hand. “What would Zelena be doing in a movie? We just came from the Enchanted Forest a few weeks ago.”

“Yes, but you know the thing about movies?”

“They’re stories.”

“Of course they are. And to the people in this world - outside of Storybrooke that is - we are stories. It is in the name - Storybrooke. And most of these stories have been turned into movies.”

Robin looked at her. “You mean there’s a movie about me?”

“Many, actually.”

“And me? And that’s what we were about to watch?” Zelena asked.

“Yes. Though in your case while there are also lots of movies, they are about Oz in general and you’re not in all of them.”

“Dreadful place, Oz. Why would they make a movie about Oz?”

“Well it all starts with this girl named Dorothy…”

“Do NOT talk to me about Dorothy!” Zelena snarled, digging her fingers into the couch cushions, sending Roland crawling into his father’s lap in fear. Robin wrapped his arms around him protectively.

Regina raised her hands in surrender. “Woah. It’s okay. But that’s where the stories come from. Our lives. Though they do get some details wrong. For example, in my movie and story in this world, the reason I wanted to kill Snow White is because she was prettier than me.”

“That’s a pretty shallow reason.” Robin frowned.

“I know. As if I would be that petty.”

Roland looked up at Regina with big eyes. “Am I in a movie?”

“Sorry sweetie, but no.” Regina said kindly. “Most of the movies end when your mommy and daddy get married, so they haven’t had the time to have you yet.”

“I’ll be in the next movies!”

Regina smiled. “We can make our own movies, you know. I have a video camera somewhere.”

Roland jumped out of his father’s lap. “Really? I want to slay a dragon! Can we make that into a movie?”

“If we can find a dragon, sure.”

Roland hugged her leg happily, but then looked up sadly. “But if we’re making the next movie, what about mommy? Mommy isn’t here anymore.”

“We’ll have to find someone else to play her. I know it won’t be the same as your real mommy, but…”

“You can be my mommy, can’t you Gina?”

Regina smiled and stroked his hair. “If that’s okay with your daddy, I can play your mommy.”

“Not just in the movie. I want you to be my mommy.”

Regina looked at Robin, eyes wide. She loved the little boy, certainly, but was it too soon for that kind of a commitment with Robin? He had said he loved her last night, but in the light of day, with the prospect of being with her… would he still go for it?

Robin looked back at her steadily. He didn’t say anything to either agree or disagree with his son. It seemed he was leaving the decision up to her. Why, she didn’t know, given her history of running from happiness at every opportunity. The countless times she’d pushed him away in the Enchanted Forest yet he stubbornly refused to stop being by her side. But maybe this was his way of telling her that he trusted her not to run this time. That he believed she had come far enough that she wouldn’t run again.

Regina let out a shaky breath. She wouldn’t run. Not this time.

“I can be your mommy Roland. If you’re sure.”

“Of course I’m sure!” he said, hugging her again. “We’re a family after all. And families live together.”

“I hope that means you two will be moving in here.” Regina said, indicating the house. “I’m afraid I’m not well-suited to living in the forest anymore.”

“Oh, I think something like that can be arranged.” Robin said, standing up and kissing Regina on the forehead. “Unless you’d prefer the forest, Zelena?”

“I’d say not.” Zelena responded, surprised to be included in the conversation. “I may have grown up in a woodside village, but I didn’t sleep rough.”

“Well then, it’s settled.” Robin said, pulling Regina in close. “Though if I may be so bold, I believe you should talk to your boy before we officially move in, yeah?”

Regina had, for once in her life, completely forgotten about Henry.

Her eyes widened. “I… I suppose I should, shouldn’t I? Well, he already likes you, so I don’t imagine it will be a problem, but he hasn’t met Roland yet…”

“I’m sure they’ll get on smashingly.” Robin assured her. “Call him. Invite him over for dinner.”

“Oh wait… we need to go to that dinner at Granny’s tonight. Snow and Charming’s baby’s coronation ceremony.”

“Maybe for breakfast then. But they can at least meet at Granny’s.”

“Then it’s settled. Roland and I should, however, return to our camp for a bit, get some fresh clothes and all. Meet us in the park at four and we’ll head over to Granny’s?”

“Count on it.” Regina kissed Robin deeply and let him and Roland go.

_A family._ Regina thought as she close the door behind them. Her soulmate, two sons and even a sister. She truly had started to find all that she had been missing for so many years. The past few days had just been a blur of happiness. Usually that would fill her with fear, but all she felt now was hope.

She returned to the living room, where Zelena was still sitting on the couch, now examining the DVD box for the movie Robin had put on.

“I don’t look very flattering here, do I?” She grimaced.

“None of the stories in this world are particularly flattering to the villains. We’re all one-sided characters for the heroes to destroy to prove their status as heroes. Nothing about how we turned into what we were.”

“I guess that makes it easier. All black and white.”

Regina sat down next to her sister. “It does. But we shouldn’t use that as an excuse for the terrible things we’ve done. There was always a choice.”

Zelena turned to her. “You believe that? After what you told me yesterday, it seems like your entire existence was carefully orchestrated so that you would cast Rumple’s curse.”

“A lot of it was. But I still had choices that I could have made differently, despite everything that our mother and Rumple did. I could have left the kingdom after pushing my mother through the mirror to Wonderland and not gone through with the marriage. Even after I did, I could have left the king and Snow to be with my soulmate when Tink showed him to me.”

“I’m guessing that’s Robin.”

“Yes.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I didn’t. Because I was afraid. Fear was easier than hope.”

“But now you hope.”

“With all my heart. I didn’t think I could anymore.”

Zelena picked at a cushion. “I don’t know if I can. I wouldn’t even know what to hope for.”

“You wanted to go back in time so that you could have a real family.”

“And?”

“Hope for that. You don’t need to go back in time for it. We’re here now.”

“A sister, her lover and their boys aren’t what I had in mind.”

“Believe me, you are lucky not to have had Cora in your life. You’ve got the better option here. If Cora had raised you, you would’ve been as mistreated and manipulated as I was. Is that really what you want? At least you got to choose your path on your own. It wasn’t a good one, but it was a choice you got to make.”

“Weren’t you just going on about how you could have made different choices?”

“There are some I could have made differently, yes. But I don’t think I could have ever been completely free of Rumplestiltskin. Even if I had run off with Robin, I don’t think he would have let that go. He would have killed Robin, or worse.”

“Worse?”

Regina looked at her. “You were a powerful witch, Zelena. You know there’s worse.”

“Fair point. So considering all that, do we really have free will at all? Or are we just the way we’re written?”

“The stories don’t end with the deaths of their characters. The stories end when the heroes get their happily ever after. So we’re beyond the point of the book. So yes, we do have free will.”

Regina realized she was just as surprised as Zelena was with that statement. For a while now, she’d been thinking about the book - not the stories in general out in the world without magic, but specifically Henry’s storybook. Henry’s storybook told the story of Snow White and Prince Charming, and their loyal minions - the dwarves, Red, Granny and so on. But it didn’t, as far as she’d ever seen, give her backstory. It didn’t say how she came to be the Evil Queen. It didn’t mention Daniel, or her childhood growing up with Cora, or how Rumple had manipulated her into so many different things. It was designed strictly to present a one-dimensional villainous view of her life after she married King Leopold.

Which begged the question: Why?

Regina breathed out and closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to let it trouble her. She had chosen love over anger. Hope over fear. Why the author had written the book the way they did was no longer relevant. They were past the last pages. He was no longer important.

“I hope you’re right, Regina.”

“See?” Regina said brightly.

“See what?”

“There you have it. Hope.” Regina reached out and squeezed her sister’s hand lightly. “Hold on to it. Nurture it. Believe in it, and we’ll do just fine.”


	7. The Past is the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Zelena have a chat about the past.

Much to Regina’s surprise, Zelena had agreed to come to Granny’s for the coronation ceremony. Regina had spoken with Emma, and they had agreed that it would be good for her, and for the town, just like Emma had invited Regina to her and Snow’s welcome home party after they had returned from the Enchanted Forest, almost two years ago now.

Regina and Zelena headed to the park to meet up with Robin and Roland. Regina could tell that Zelena was nervous, rubbing her arms and looking around furtively.

“Hey.” Regina put a hand on her arm to try and calm her down. “It’s going to be okay. I mean, don’t expect a good reception, but it is part of the process. They’ll get used to you eventually.”

“People are going to be staring, aren’t they?”

“Definitely. Especially anyone who wasn’t at the sheriff’s station yesterday to witness everything.”

“I guess I need to do what my father always said. He always said ‘No matter what you’re feeling on the inside, always put on a good face.’”

“While it’s not something I recommend all the time, for occasions like this, it is the better option. Better than showing how much you hate them all.”

“I don’t hate them all. They were just a means to an end. The only one I hated was you.”

“And now, I’m the best friend you’ve got.” Regina smiled wryly at her sister.

“How things change in the blink of an eye.”

“Trust me, going back? Wouldn’t have been a solution.”

“You’re really not joking when you say I was better off without Cora?”

“I’m not. You must not have looked at all of those parts in your magic mirror. She was a horrible mother. She used me to get what she always wanted. And then, even when I got rid of her… really, that was also just a means to an end for that stupid imp. He must have wanted Cora out of the way so that he could mold me into what he wanted, rather than her molding me into what she wanted.”

“How did you get rid of her?”

“Rumple gave me a mirror, a Looking-Glass, and I pushed her through it. She ended up in Wonderland.”

“But you saw her again.”

“Of course. I had sent Hook to Wonderland to kill her - this was before I cast the curse, I didn’t want her coming to Storybrooke somehow - and bring her body back to me… but he ended up working for her instead and brought her back alive. I didn’t know. And somehow she protected a corner of the Enchanted Forest from the curse. This was the part of the Enchanted Forest where Robin and his Merry Men were living, Prince Philip, Mulan, and of course Hook and our mother.”

“And they came back to Storybrooke.”

“It’s a long story, but in short, yes. Hook and our mother ended up in Storybrooke. Through a complicated series of events, he poisoned Rumple, and then Rumple tricked Snow into using the candle that would save his life - in exchange for another life, our mother’s. So Snow cursed our mother’s heart and then tricked me into putting it back into her chest. Which killed her.”

“So you killed your own mother.”

“Snow killed our mother. I was just the tool she used for doing so. Don’t let those doe eyes fool you, Snow is not the pure-white princess people think she is.”

“And your father?”

“Him I did kill, to enact the Dark Curse. The heart of the one I loved most.”

“So if I had gone back and killed Princess Eva…”

“Then Cora might have married Prince Leopold. And you would have been a princess.”

“Doesn’t seem so bad.”

“But she would still be Cora. And make no mistake, Leopold was just as weak-willed as my father, so he wouldn’t have been able to protect you from her wrath if you did something she didn’t like.”

“You know a lot about this Leopold. Was he a relative of your husband Leopold?”

“He WAS my husband Leopold.”

“So… your mother married you off to her ex-fiance?”

“Yes she did.”

“How did Leopold not recognize that she was the same woman?”

“I have asked myself that question ever since I found that out. But he must not have known.”

“I wonder who I would have been betrothed to.”

“Well, you would have been in line to be queen. So our mother would have only accepted someone of equal standing. Since Leopold’s kingdom was rich, it is possible that she might have married you off to King George and merged his kingdom into yours.”

“But he was so much older than me.”

Regina shrugged. “And Leopold was so much older than me. Our mother wanted power and control. Your wishes wouldn’t really matter.”

“But I had natural magic talent that you didn’t. Wouldn’t that have made her happy?”

“Your power was incredible. Not even our mother had that kind of natural talent. If nothing else, she would have seen you as a rival. And you wouldn’t ever want to be her rival.”

“But I could have outwitted her. I could have gotten rid of her before she realized how powerful I was.”

“And Rumplestiltskin?”

“What about him?”

“Remember, Cora and Rumple worked together for years. I was raised with the express purpose of casting Rumple’s curse.”

“I could have cast it.”

“If you had been raised in the Enchanted Forest, with Cora as a mother, Leopold as a father and Rumple lurking in the shadows… you would have been raised as I was. Which meant that you would have started life happy and idealistic, and then they would have slowly broken you down into what they needed you to be. They needed to make casting the curse my choice, not theirs. And the only way to do that was to break me. It was not happy, it was not fun. You don’t cast that curse out of love.”

“Snow did.”

“That was a special case.”

“That could have been me.”

“Then there’s still the question of whose heart you would sacrifice for it.”

Zelena stopped and looked pensive. “That would have been the problem then. Rumple didn’t want me to cast the curse because I loved him above all else. Cora wouldn’t have wanted me to cast it if that meant her death. She would have probably already killed Leopold by then. I wouldn’t have loved King George. So that would have meant…”

“Someone you really and truly loved. Someone like my Daniel. Or Robin.”

“I wouldn’t have done it.”

“And thus you would have had to be broken in order to be of any use to them.”

Zelena sighed. “I guess it wouldn’t have made anything better then. Going back.”

“No, it wouldn’t have. All we can do is go forward.”

They started walking again, and got to the park, where Robin and Roland were waiting. Robin kissed Regina and Roland grabbed Zelena’s hand.

“Shall we?” Robin asked.

Regina smiled. “We shall.”

“What were you ladies talking about? Seemed pretty serious.”

“How going back wouldn’t have fixed anything. Cora would still be Cora. Rumple would still be Rumple.”

“Ah.” Robin nodded. “So living in the present isn’t so bad after all, Zelena?”

“Oh, it is bad. Especially right now where I’m about to enter a pit of vipers.” Zelena said. “But it is a better option when compared to the past I could have had, raised by Cora.”

“Good.” Robin smiled warmly and grabbed Roland’s other hand. “Now, with all of us here in the present and glad to be here, let’s go show this town what family means. Standing together and moving ever onward.”


	8. Second Chances and Second Loves

As soon as the group entered Granny’s, the place fell eerily quiet. Regina could feel all eyes on her and Zelena, but chose to ignore them, instead directing the trio with her towards Emma and her family.

“Emma.” Regina said nodding at her.

“Regina.” Emma replied. “Zelena. Robin.”

The other two inclined their heads as well.

“Hey, what about me?” Roland piped up.

“Hello to you too, kid.” Emma smiled and ruffled his hair.

“Hey, I thought I was the only one you called kid!” Henry protested.

“Well, you’re practically a teenager now, kid.” Emma said. “And besides, Roland is practically family now, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Henry said and came up to Roland. “Hi, I’m Henry.”

“Roland. Is Gina your mommy? I’ve heard her mention you.”

“I have two mommies. Regina and Emma.”

“I have two mommies too. And a daddy. My first mommy died, but now Gina is going to be my mommy too.”

“If that’s okay with you.” Regina added hastily. “I was meaning to talk to you about…”

“It’s okay mom.” Henry said, giving her a hug. “I heard what happened at the sheriff station yesterday. If you want Robin and Roland to move in, that’s okay.”

“You sure?” Regina asked warily.

“Of course.” Henry said. “I have two moms. You can have two sons.”

Regina smiled and hugged him again, kissing him on the forehead. The gesture had always been very special to her, but ever since she had broken the curse with True Love’s Kiss, it held even more meaning.

“So I guess it is going to be a much bigger family in the house then.” Henry said, turning to Zelena. “I hear you’ve moved in too?”

“Your mother thought it was best.” Zelena fidgeted nervously.

“As long as you’re not evil anymore.”

“I’m trying not to be.”

“Good.”

The entire restaurant had been watching, no one was minding their own business. Regina had had enough.

“Yes, she’s here. Get over it.” Regina said to the room of people.

Emma stepped up next to her. “If anyone has a problem with it, you can talk to me.” she said. “We need to lead by example. Lead by being good. By giving second chances.”

One of Robin’s Merry Men - Regina thought perhaps it was Much? - stepped up to Emma. “She tried to kill your brother, milady. Yesterday.”

“Aye, she did.” Robin cut in, before Emma could say anything. “Perhaps, Much, you would like to tell the people of Storybrooke what you were up to before you joined my Merry Men? Hmm?”

Robin’s look at Much was enough to have him slinking away into a corner. Robin hadn’t been kidding when he said that his Merry Men were former scoundrels if just that little of a rebuke was enough to send Much running.

“We have all made mistakes.” Emma said to the room at large. “We can all move past them.”

With that, the matter was considered finished, and Regina, Zelena, Henry, Roland and Robin slid into the booth behind Emma, Snow and David. Everyone else went back to their conversations, but many still kept half an eye on their tables.

“Robin, that was something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Moving past mistakes?”

“In a sense. You told me about your Merry Men and how you had all done bad things in the past, but then began to atone for them. How exactly did you do that?”

“Well, for starters, we reminded each new recruit that no matter what he did in the past, no matter how heinous it was, he - or she, we have had some women over the years - could find a clean slate with us. But that did not mean that they would be absolved of everything that they did.”

“So they had to… do something about it?”

“They did. First they had to tell us everything. They could not leave anything out - that could endanger our group, if someone came after us about something that we were not aware of.”

“So there was a lot of sharing.”

“Aye. More of it than most were comfortable with, including myself, I can tell you that.”

“Sharing is not something I’ve ever been good at.” Regina said, frowning.

“Why are you wondering about how the Merry Men worked past their pasts? You have your own journey. And I’m here for you.”

“I know. But I ran into Ashley - Cinderella back in our land - and she gave me an idea. A support group for former villains. I know that might sound strange to you, but they are quite common in this world.”

“Support groups for former villains?” Robin raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t been in this land long, but from what I’ve gathered about the world outside of Storybrooke, they don’t really have villains integrated into their communities. They lock them up in large prisons.”

“Well, support groups. For people who are going through something and trying to improve their lives. Keeping company with others like them can help. That’s what you’ve had going on with the Merry Men, isn’t it?”

“In a sense. But with less sitting around talking about feelings and more scrapping with each other and trying to put things right with the people we wronged.”

“I thought you said you had sharing.”

“We did. And that would lead to quite the arguments. So we did what boys do, and we got into fights.”

“That fixed everything?” Zelena wondered.

“Better than women who just snipe at each other for years without addressing the heart of the matter.” Robin shrugged. “Though in your case, milady, I would advise against battering my bride-to-be too badly, yeah? She can still set you on fire.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Zelena mocked him playfully.

If Regina hadn’t been focused on the words _bride-to-be_ she might have taken offense at the fact that Zelena was mocking Robin with words he’d only used in private with her - meaning she had had spies following her at every moment. Or that Robin had called Zelena _milady_ when this was a phrase that Robin usually reserved only for her.

But she was focused, focused on that short phrase _bride-to-be_ , and it felt like all of the air had left her lungs and there was nothing else in the world but that.

A silence had settled over the table, everyone looking at Regina, as she sat there with that look of shock on her face.

“Mom?” Henry asked, nudging her. “You okay?”

Regina shook herself out of her frozen state. “Yes, yes I am, just -”

“I may have spoken a bit out of order.” Robin said, biting his lip. “I… I didn’t want to upstage the ceremony we’re here to witness, but since I already said it, I must do it properly.”

Robin slid out of the booth and dropped to one knee in front of Regina, reaching into his pocket as he did so. He looked up at her, pure love radiating from his eyes.

“Regina, my love, I know it has only been a short time, but you have grown in my heart and in my son’s. He wants us to be a family, and I agree - I want it more than anything. With that - will you marry me?” He reached out to her with a simple silver band, more like the saddle ring that Daniel had given her than the grand and ostentatious ring Leopold had proposed with.

“Yes… I… yes.” Regina said, grasping Robin’s hand that held the ring, and pulling them both to their feet, kissing him like there was no one else in the room. She wasn’t breaking any curses, but she could still feel True Love radiating out from them, then wrapping around them like a warm cocoon, as if they were the only two people in the world.

At last they broke the kiss, and rested their foreheads against one another as Robin put the ring on her finger. Regina captured his lips with hers again, and didn’t want to ever let go.

A smattering of polite applause snapped them out of their reverie, and Regina stepped back from Robin, flushed, now embarrassed. She bit her lip and tucked her hair behind her ears, while Robin put one arm around her waist and used the other to clap David on the shoulder.

“My apologies, your highness, didn’t want to take away from your festivities, but it needed to be done.”

“It’s all right, Robin. I’ve spent enough time losing and finding my True Love to recognize it for what it is. Congratulations, man.” The two shook hands.

Snow handed her baby to Emma and embraced Regina tightly. “I knew you could do it.” She whispered into Regina’s ear. “I knew you could find your happiness.” Regina smiled as she hugged her stepdaughter, happy that at last she had trusted hope over fear.

As she pulled away, she looked at Snow, David and their baby in Emma’s arms. “So, am I going to learn the name of my step-grandson sometime, or are we all just going to call him whatever we want?”

Snow and David looked at each other. “I think it is time.”

Emma passed her brother back to Snow, and David addressed the room.

“People of Storybrooke, we have gathered you here today to introduce you to our son. Our son, who represents so many things, most of all we hope the beginning of a new era, for our magical town in this world without magic, where we can all live in peace and harmony.”

“We want that symbolism in his name, and so we have chosen to give our son three names.” Snow said. “One for our new home, one for our new hope, and one for a hero who will never be forgotten. People of Storybrooke, we would like for you to meet our son, Xavier Phoenix Neal.”

The room applauded as Snow turned to Regina and held her son out to him. Regina took him, and looked at Snow in confusion.

“Regina, we want you to be his godmother.” David said. “You’ve come so far, and we trust you. You are a part of our family, and we want to affirm that before all assembled here today.”

“I will.” Regina said, smiling as Xavier grabbed her finger and held onto it. “Hi Xavier. I’m Regina. I’m going to help your parents look after you.”

After a minute, Regina handed the baby back to Snow, and smiled as Robin stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“That baby likes you.” Robin murmured in her ear.

She smiled. “Yeah, I guess he does.”

“Could have one of our own.”

“We’ll see.” Regina whispered. “I just need to get used to this first.”

“Whenever you’re ready. I will be here. I will always be here.”

Regina turned around in his arms and kissed him. “I know.”


	9. Floating on Cloud Nine

When they left the diner, Regina felt like she was floating on a cloud. She just felt so loved. She felt like for once in her life, everything was as it should have been. Such a feeling used to scare her, used to make her think it would all disappear in an instant - and she knew somewhere deep inside that it still could, but instead of fleeing from it because of that, she embraced it even more. She was determined to enjoy every minute of her happiness, rather than flee from it because it might disappear.

It wasn’t happy with no strings attached, sure, but it was the closest she could come for now. And it was enough.

Reflecting more on the evening that had just transpired, Regina was even feeling optimistic about her sister’s future. Even though everyone in town was still understandably wary of Zelena, she had already started trying to mend bridges. She had even apologized to Phillip and Aurora, even if it did earn her a slap from the angry new mother. Zelena had slunk back to Regina’s table, rubbing her jaw and sighing.

“I guess I deserved that.” Zelena had said.

“You’ll probably get much worse than that.” Regina had responded. “I did. I almost died to save this town - several times - and people still barely give me the time of day. It’s all part of the process.”

For some reason, this seemed to cheer Zelena up. That at least an angry response to her presence was preferable to her being ignored entirely. And so it was that as the family - including Henry - was on its way back home, Zelena was no longer glaring at everyone they passed.

It was progress.

As they turned onto their street, Regina let Henry and Roland run on ahead, with Zelena close behind them, as she and Robin slowed their pace.

“So, are we going to fall asleep on the couch again tonight?” Regina teased, kissing him on the nose.

“I’d rather not.” Robin said, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes as he caressed her cheek. “While I might be accustomed to hard sleeping surfaces from the forest, the couch was uncomfortably shaped for the purposes of sleeping. I hear you have wonderful contraptions in this land known as soft beds.”

Regina grinned. “We do indeed.”

“How many bedrooms do you have anyways?”

“Well, technically, there are five. Though only two are regularly used - mine and Henry’s. But now there is Zelena’s room, a room for Roland, and then the fifth one.”

Robin bit his lip and looked like he wanted to say something, but seemed too shy to say it. It was an adorable look, Regina thought, and made her giggle.

“What’s that for?” Robin protested. “I didn’t say anything.”

“But you said so much while not saying anything.” Regina smirked. “You look like you want to ask me something, but you’re too shy to say it. Which doesn’t seem like the thief I know at all.”

“Forgive me, milady, but I’m still trying to figure out the protocols in this land. We’ve had a very short courtship, and you’ve already invited me to live in your home, and I’ve given you a ring, but I don’t know-”

“You don’t know if it is proper for us to sleep in the same bed until after the wedding?”

“Something like that.”

“Don’t worry, Robin. Here it is perfectly all right for you to sleep in my bed” Regina got up close, very close, to him “-and more-” -she wrapped one of her legs around his - “before we are wed.”

Robin bit his lip again - but this was most certainly arousal instead of shyness. Regina could see his eyes darken in the dim light of the streetlights. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard, and she could feel him - all of him.

Regina pulled back from him gently, eyes glinting. “Now, now. This might be a more permissive place than the Enchanted Forest, but there are still laws involving public displays. And I think we need to get our children settled first.”

Robin sighed and pulled back as well. “You are right, milady. My apologies.”

Regina stepped back into his space for a moment to murmur into his ear. “But you will be able to finish what you started when we get to our bedroom.”

Robin grinned and grabbed her hand as they walked quickly to catch up to the others. It was as if they were giggly teenagers again. Regina would happily wrap herself up in this love and innocence forever.

As they passed through the gate that led to the front door, Robin stopped dead. Regina looked at him in confusion, and she also saw Zelena, Henry and Roland looking at them from the front door with shock.

“What? What is it?” she asked.

Roland just pointed at her. “You’re floating.”

Regina looked down, and sure enough, she was floating just a few inches off the ground. She was still holding on to Robin’s hand, so she wasn’t sure if she’d be going further if he wasn’t anchoring her down.

She gasped, and then dropped to the ground, Robin stopping her from falling any further.

“What was that?” Zelena asked warily. “I thought you said you weren’t going to use magic until you learned to use your light magic properly.”

“I didn’t… I don’t know… oh hell.” Regina said.

“What is it?” Henry asked.

“I’m just like your other mother.” Regina said, not relishing this at all. “Dark magic is second nature to me at this point, but light magic is new for me. So I still haven’t learned how to control it.”

“But why were you floating?” Robin asked. “You weren’t - I mean, we weren’t even talking about magic or anything.”

“No. But we were talking about love.”

“Love did that?” Robin asked.

“It’s the only explanation that makes sense. I was thinking about how safe and happy I feel with you, and I guess that translated into magic thinking I was floating. So I did.”

“Magic is a strange thing.” Robin said.

“It is. But once you learn the rules of it, then it isn’t so difficult and it gets easier to control. I just need to learn the rules for light magic.”

“Can we leave that for another night?” Zelena asked. “I would like to go to bed sometime tonight.”

“Of course. Let’s just get inside.” Regina said, fumbling for her keys.

She ushered her family into the house. Even though the new magic scared her, she still felt her anchor to the world, her Robin, standing next to her with his calming presence, one hand never leaving the small of her back as they entered the house.

Zelena and Henry disappeared to their rooms, while Roland looked up at Regina and Robin.

“Where am I going to sleep?”

Regina smiled at the boy and led him upstairs after he said goodnight to his Papa. Regina nodded towards Robin that she’d meet him in the kitchen. She took Roland up to the bedroom next to Henry’s and opened the dresser drawers to find some of Henry’s old sheets.

“You can use some of these sheets that used to be Henry’s right now, but if you decide you want some of your own, we can go shopping later this week.”

Roland jumped on some sheets that had cars all over them. “These ones!”

Regina made up the bed quickly with them, and marveled at how even a boy out of the Enchanted Forest could develop an instant fascination with cars. She would have to talk to Robin about that.

She tucked him into bed and stroked his hair out of his face. “Do you want me or your Papa to tell you a story?”

“Not tonight. I’m sleepy.”

“Okay.” She kissed his forehead. “Goodnight, Roland.”

“Goodnight, Mommy.”

Regina smiled and switched out the lights, closing the door behind her. She leaned back against the wall beside it, closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths before going down the stairs. Otherwise, she was sure she would be floating again. The love with which Robin and Roland had welcomed her into their lives was nothing short of amazing. Knowing everything that she’d put the Enchanted Forest through, knowing all that had transpired in her past, Robin had still looked past it from the moment they’d first met, and only treated her as Regina. It was almost as if she was that young innocent princess again.

Regina steadied her breathing and walked down the stairs, tucking her hair behind her ears. She wasn’t that innocent princess anymore. Nor was Robin some young lad from the forest. They had both loved and lost in the most terrible of ways, but they still had a way forward together. A second chance.

Now it was time to embrace all of its possibilities.


	10. To Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is where the rating changes. A brief sexy OutlawQueen interlude is necessary before we get back to the rest of the story. Don’t like it, don’t read.

Regina met Robin in the kitchen. While she had been upstairs with Roland, Robin had found the wine glasses and the wine, pouring a glass for each of them. She came around the kitchen island to meet him, pulling him close and giving him a long kiss before taking the glass he offered.

“To love.” Robin said as they toasted.

“To love.”

They stood in silence for a few minutes, drinking their wine and placing feather-light touches on each other, on a hip, a cheek, a shoulder. Soon their glasses were empty, and as Robin set his down on the counter, Regina grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in for a hard kiss, just as she had that first night in the forest. That night when she had kissed him, and then waited for several breathless endless moments until he kissed her back. Until he did, she hadn’t been sure if she had been reading the signs correctly.

But she had, and after bruising each other’s lips for a few minutes more, they had sat down by Robin’s campfire and stayed there until dawn, not speaking, just holding each other against the chill.

And now they were in her kitchen. Engaged. In love. With all the time in the world, and at the same time, never enough.

Regina broke the kiss breathlessly, and pulled him by the hand up the stairs to her room. She locked the door behind them and turned to face Robin.

Robin had sat down on her large bed, running his hand over the bedspread and testing the softness of the mattress. “Mmm, this will do quite nicely.” He said, his impish smile back on his lips.

“I hope you’re intending on more than just sleeping.” Regina said coyly, walking towards him, kicking off her heels and unbuttoning the front of her dress.

He stood up and pulled her to him, hands resting in the small of her back. “I could certainly be persuaded.”

Regina grinned and returned to kissing him while pulling his jacket off and unbuttoning his shirt. Robin finished unbuttoning her dress, and pushed it off her shoulders. His lips moved to her neck and shoulder, leaving light kisses that turned into nibbles. As Regina held him closer, he sucked the sensitive skin of her neck into his mouth, making her gasp and leaving a mark that was sure to last into the next day.

The rough material of his trousers rubbed against her stomach, and she stepped back to undo his belt and remove them. He stripped off his undershirt, and they stood there clad in nothing but undergarments.

Robin cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes. “Are you sure about this?”

Regina grabbed his hand and moved it to her lips, kissing each knuckle. “Surer than I have ever been about anything.”

He pulled her close again, back to kissing her shoulders, lightly shifting the straps of her lacy black bra aside and reaching around to undo the clasp. He fumbled with it, not getting the hooks right, until Regina giggled and he stepped back, hands up in defeat and an embarrassed smile on his face.

“I apologize, milady, but the undergarments of this world confound me.”

“Let me.” Regina unhooked her bra quickly, and threw it on the pile of clothes. Robin stepped back into her space, kissing along her chest, over her breasts, feeling them with each hand, sinking to his knees in front of her.

Robin kissed and nuzzled along her flat stomach, swirling his tongue around her belly button, breathing in the scent of her. His hands moved to her hips, feeling the matching lace panties, and slowly moving them off her hips and down her legs. Regina gasped as he nuzzled closer to her core, and held onto his shoulders to steady herself as he began to kiss her there, tongue darting out every so often to circle the concentrated bundle of nerves. She clung onto him even more tightly as he worked his tongue harder against her, knees beginning to shake.

Robin stopped his ministrations for a moment, just to move Regina towards the bed and have her lie back on the end of it. He spread her knees apart as he knelt down between them, returning to kissing and licking at her, running his hands along her hips, kneading that sensitive spot where her hip met her thigh.

Regina moved her hands to his head, running her hands through his hair, holding him close to her. As the heat built between them, he pushed one finger into her, then two, keeping his mouth on her clit as he worked her. She alternated between running her hands through his hair and clutching the bedspread, trying to not make a sound, acutely aware of the three other people in the house, none of whom needed to hear anything going on in the room.

Soon it felt like it would be too much - she would cry out, she would broadcast what was going on between them in this very private moment. Regina pulled Robin up and had him sit beside her. He looked at her in confusion.

“What’s wrong? Did I do something I shouldn’t have?”

“No, not at all. You’re wonderful. Just…” Regina waved her hand towards the other rooms.

“Ah.” Robin nodded “You don’t want anyone else to hear what is going on?”

“I mean, I’m sure they know - well, Zelena at least - but they don’t need to hear it. I’d do a soundproofing spell, but…”

“What you said earlier. About not using the dark magic, and needing to learn to control the light.”

“Yes.”

“I’m here. Think of me. Hold my hands. See if you can use that to focus your energies.”

Regina nodded and grabbed his hands in hers, closing her eyes. She concentrated on the love she felt ebbing into her from Robin, and imagined a light soundless barrier sweeping out around the walls of the room. Still not certain, she kept her eyes closed and concentration up until she felt Robin kiss her.

“I saw it, Regina. It’s there. You can stop concentrating now.”

Regina opened her eyes and caressed his cheek. “Thank you. Thank you for believing in me.”

“Always.”

She rested against him for a moment, just enjoying his warm comforting presence. Even though she could feel how hard he was through his boxers, he didn’t push, he let her take her comfort and waited until she was ready to move on.

Regina didn’t wait long. As she felt the strong beat of his heart, she pulled his hand to her chest, so he could feel hers as well. Strong, resilient, and back in her chest where it needed to be. She pulled him closer and pulled his lips to hers, kissing him deeply and tasting herself on his tongue. She pushed him back onto the bed, and sat lightly on his hips, rubbing against him through his boxers. Robin rested his hands on her hips, not pushing, just feeling her.

She stroked her hands along his chest, feeling the muscles beneath his skin, resting her hand over his heart, again feeling its strong beat, and knew that she was ready.

Robin felt the change in her breath, and knew it too, pushing himself up half-sitting to meet her lips, almost bruising in their intensity. She gave back just as hard, not wanting to ever let go. She lifted her hips slightly so she could work his boxers off, lips never leaving his.

As soon as they were gone, Regina opened her eyes, seeing Robin’s clear blue ones gazing back at her, steady and full of fire. She tilted her hips slightly, rubbing against him, and then sliding onto him with one gentle and slow motion. His eyes closed briefly as she clenched her muscles around him, but were back and locked on to hers in moments. He thrust up into her gently, watching as her eyelids now fluttered, and with one smooth motion reversed their positions so that he was now on top of her.

Regina’s hands were everywhere on him - his chest, his arms, his hips - as he started to thrust more quickly, adjusting one of her legs over his shoulder so he could go even deeper. He moved his gaze from hers to kiss along the knee that was on his shoulder, one hand steadying it as he could feel her begin to tremble. His other hand reached between them to stroke her clit, and bring her to the very edge of sanity. She began to gasp, even letting out breathy moans when he stroked her in just the right place.

As she started to clench around him more and more often, he started letting out moans of his own, taking full advantage of the soundproofing spell. He had never had the opportunity to be so free with his partners before, living in a forest where his Merry Men were just steps away on the other side of light fabrics. Not that there had been any partners since Marian, not until Regina had appeared in his life and established a firm grip on his heart from the moment she had rescued Roland from the flying monkey.

That had been the first time he had fallen in love with Regina. The second time had been when she had asked him to guard her heart while she was preparing to take on Zelena in Storybrooke. There must have been some amount of destiny at work if he had fallen in love with the same woman twice. Not many people could say that they met for the first time twice, but the forgetting spell had made it possible.

All of these thoughts tumbled haphazardly through Robin’s head as he thrust into Regina, slowly, quickly and every speed in between. She pulled him down to kiss him, and he could feel that they were both getting close. He ran his thumb over her clit a few more times, and then she tensed around him, almost screaming out her pleasure as he fell over the edge as well, spilling himself into her.

As they came back down, Regina kissed him lightly, on the lips, eyelids, all across his face. She held him close and steady as his breathing evened back out. He pulled out of her and rested on the bed next to her, hands roaming across her stomach, her breasts, her thighs.

“Was that what you wanted?” he whispered into her ear.

“Yes… oh yes.” she breathed. “Now and forever.”

“Always.” he murmured again, repeating his line from earlier.

Regina smiled a peaceful smile and pulled the covers over them. He settled himself against her back and held her close, never wanting to let go, as sleep quickly overtook them.


End file.
